Topic: MacBook

Determined to grow its share of the personal computer market during the worst economic climate in its corporate history, Apple is tailoring changes to a pair of its offerings that will help drive down prices of some of the most popular Macs, AppleInsider has learned.

Hoping to persuade possible Mac buyers that Apple charges an arbitrary "tax" for its computers, Microsoft has paid one analyst to create a report that portrays Windows PCs as less expensive -- even if it has to artificially pad the Mac's price and hide Windows' costs to get there.

Apple appears to be distributing a new firmware update that will attempt to address flickering and blank video issues on the latest generation of MiniDisplay Port-equipped Macs connected to external displays using the company's Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter.

Apple's just confirmed iPhone 3.0 firmware is already rumored to add MMS picture messaging and data tethering. Also, Sirius XM has said it plans to give its radio subscribers an iPhone app, and Maine is negotiating a major deal to lease 100,000 MacBooks for its schools.

While most are familiar with Apple's desktop overhaul, a number of important details have slipped through the cracks -- including confirmation that Apple is receiving access to Intel's next-generation Xeon processors ahead of schedule.

Flying under the radar of Tuesday's broad desktop overhaul were quiet updates to Apple's MacBook Pro notebook line, which now includes a faster 15-inch model, new high-end chip options, and larger solid-state drive (SSD) choices that are also offered alongside the company's 13-inch MacBooks.

Apple this week kicked its eco-friendly MacBook campaign into overdrive with new placements on network television and top-tier internet properties; meanwhile, Research in Motion considered taking a shot at Apple in a new television commercial but ultimately couldn't bring itself to pull the trigger (video included).

While the likelihood of Apple releasing new iPhones this year is all but certain, a discussion between analysts and Apple's top brass has also dropped clues that the iPhone's pricing may not be static this year.

Apple's new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro began shipping earlier this week and a new tear-down of the high-end notebook reveals the steps needed to access the system's internal memory, hard drive, and battery components.

A few owners of Apple's new unibody notebooks are experiencing backwards compatibility issues with the units' redesigned audio jacks, which offer a snug connection for the company's latest headphones with integrated microphones at the expense of a few legacy stereo headsets and speaker connectors.

AT&T is hoping to make 3G-enabled notebooks a staple of its cellular business, and in an executive interview hints that it may be chatting with Apple to extend its reach into MacBooks or other non-iPhone devices.

Apple on Monday released a software update that addresses issues with its Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter and also boosts HD video performance on some current Mac notebooks and previous-generation Mac desktops.

Apple this week quietly upgraded its previous-generation white 13-inch MacBooks to NVIDIA's 9400M architecture, a move aimed at boosting sales of its most affordable notebook during a period of reduced consumer spending.

After taking a gamble on the acceptance of Mini DisplayPort as a connection for computer screens, Apple is about to be rewarded as its technology is now expected to become part of an industry-wide format that also includes extremely high resolutions and multiple displays on a single link.

FBR Capital Markets said Wednesday that it believes that Apple is gearing up to release several new products during the first half of 2009, including a new version of the iPod shuffle and cheaper versions of its flagship iPhone and MacBook offerings.